A Correlative Study Between CT Perfusion Parameters And Angiogenesis In Rabbit VX2Hepatic Implantation Tumors

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlationbetween CT perfusion parameters and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factor1alpha (HIF-1α), matrixmetalloproteinase-2(MMP2) and tumor microvessel density(MVD) accordingto the CD34molecule in rabbit VX2liver transplantation tumors and toinvestigate the value of CT perfusion imaging for evaluating tumorangiogenesis.Materials and methods: A sample of24rabbit VX2livertransplantation tumors were performed using CT perfusion scanning. Thehepatic artery perfusion (HAP), portal vein perfusion (PVP), hepatic arteryperfusion index (HPI) and total hepatic perfusion (TLP) were measured usingperfusion software. VEGF, HIF-1α, MMP2and MVD expression werequantified in the rabbit VX2liver transplantation tumor tissue samples usingimmunohistochemical methods. The correlation between the VEGF, HIF-1α,MMP2expression and the MVD and CT perfusion parameters were analyzed.Results: Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of HIF-1α,MMP-2and MVD were positively associated with the HAP, TLP and HPI (P＜0.01), but no relationship was observed with the PVP (P＞0.05).Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that the expression of VEGF waspositively associated with the HAP and HPI (P＜0.01), but no relationshipwas observed with the PVP and TLP (P＞0.05). There was a positiverelationship among the expression levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, MMP-2and MVD.Conclusions: CT perfusion imaging can reflect the blood perfusion ofrabbit VX2liver tumors and be used to evaluate information on theangiogenesis status of tumors.